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The final 12 months have been a banner 12 months of creativity for indie rap juggernaut Prime Dawg Leisure, however this week, one in every of its most revered artists has a brand new set of authorized troubles.
Based on a report by NBCLA, the LAPD confirmed that the rapper Jay Rock was arrested for possession of a firearm on Thursday night time.
Experiences differ relating to the circumstances for Jay Rock’s (actual identify Johnny Reed McKinzie) preliminary interplay with police. NBCLA studies that LAPD apprehended Jay Rock, 39, round 6 p.m. for trespassing and ingesting in public in Nickerson Gardens, the housing initiatives that he grew up in. Whereas studies are constant that Jay Rock tried to flee from his car, ABC7 studies that police say he solely tried to run away after police refused to disclose why they had been detaining him. After detaining him, police say that they discovered a gun in his car.
He was booked on suspicion of felony weapons violation, based on ABC7. Jay Rock hasn’t made any public feedback within the hours following the arrest.
Jay Rock is acknowledged as the primary member of Prime Dawg Leisure to signal a serious report deal, touchdown a take care of Warner Bros. earlier than TDE made stars out of acts like Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and Schoolboy Q. He appeared alongside Kendrick on Black Panther soundtrack spotlight “King’s Lifeless,” which received a Grammy for Greatest Rap Efficiency. He hasn’t launched a solo album since his 2018 report Redemption, however he’s whetted followers’ appetites for Eastside Johnny, an album anticipated to see its launch in 2025.
Followers of Jay Rock noticed him carry out with Kendrick Lamar at The Pop-Out: Ken and Associates live performance in Los Angeles final 12 months. He additionally appeared at TDE’s annual Christmas Live performance and Toy Drive, a two-day occasion devoted to giving again to Nickerson Gardens. Lamar is now not signed to TDE, however on a tune referred to as “coronary heart pt. 6” from his newest album GNX, he poignantly recounted recollections of lengthy recording classes with Jay Rock and being moved by seeing his buddy getting his report deal. “Was excited simply to go to them label conferences / Wasn’t my report deal, however nonetheless, I couldn’t consider it,” he rapped. “…It was basic math: if he made it, that imply I made it.”
Particulars across the arrest sound murky. Why was he accused of “trespassing” within the neighborhood that he grew up in? Is ingesting in public a authentic cost right here? Why would police refuse to inform him why he was being detained, a lot much less admit to the press that they didn’t accomplish that?
Both means, the LAPD has a storied historical past of harassing Black folks. In 2021, Nipsey Hussle’s brother mentioned that the LAPD focused and harassed the rapper’s avenue nook and Marathon Clothes retailer earlier than his homicide in 2019. And simply days earlier than Jay Rock’s arrest, the Los Angeles Instances reported a criticism filed by an officer in its recruiting division who secretly recorded conversations with different officers making “racist and derogatory feedback towards Black police candidates, feminine colleagues, and lesbian and homosexual co-workers.”
NewsOne will proceed to share updates as particulars turn out to be accessible.